


Roll On Eighteen Wheeler

by Thunder_Fox



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1960s, Hitchhiker!Levi, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Trucker!Erwin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-13 03:32:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11751177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunder_Fox/pseuds/Thunder_Fox
Summary: Erwin considered. Not the unspoken offer, but giving him a ride. He wasn't the kind of guy to take advantage of someone down on their luck. Strange guy from a dusty little town. Didn't seem to have much to his name, but he was bold. Erwin could admire that. Couldn't hurt to get a little more information."Where you heading?""Anywhere but here."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The second of a longer AU I desperately want to write. I'm trying to write a little bit everyday. Feel free to critique, offer advice, or share your feelings upon passing. It's late, I have no beta reader, and I'm not one hundred percent confident, but I'm getting there. Trying to carry over my old rp style into longer writing. It's been awhile. The struggle is real.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! I'll try to work on this some more tomorrow, but will probably get more done Thursday while I'm on my flight home.

There was only one truck stop left along this stretch of road. A little place off on the side of a twisting street, unassuming as it baked under the rays of the midday sun. His colleagues raved over the construction of the intetstate highway system, but Erwin was old fashioned, even as a man in his early thirties. Nothing could out shine the vast wild terrain of the US countryside, or stopping at the little mom and pop corner stores and diners in whatever town he happened to stop by. He never knew what sort of local oddity or interesting character he might meet. Maybe he might make a new friend, or earn a black eye in a shady corner of a questionable city. 

That was how he had eventually met him. He had rolled up as he always did, cutting the engine to fuel the rig one last time before crossing out of California into Nevada. His boots, old worn leather showing their age, stepped down from the cab with a puff of dust.

A boy, teens maybe, it was hard to tell, slowly sauntered up to his truck. Erwin's eyes flickered towards him for but a moment before he offered a simple, friendly smile and a nod. The smell of fuel was heavy in the air, and he knew it would cling on his fingers, linger on his clothes until he stripped down to sleep that night. This was something a guy like him had experienced many a time, and he would continue to for years to come. The smell, like the open road, was a part of him now. 

A happy tune hummed from his throat while he finished fueling and replaced the pump. He had expected the man to carry on. Started when he looked up to see the stranger was still there, cigarette hanging unlit between his lips.

Not a teen. Erwin realized, after a beat too long, that he'd misjudged the new comer immediately based solely on his height. The guy was short, eyes sunken, but fierce when their molten silver matched his midday blue. He looked tense, maybe a little desperate in his baggy shirt that looked to be two sizes too big, beat up dark denim jeans, and old tennis shoes. A ratty backpack thrown over one shoulder completed the ensemble, and he clung to it like it held everything he owned in the world.

Was he about to get mugged? 

"What can I do for ya, stranger?" Erwin questioned, keeping his cool composure with a little effort. It gave him a chance to take another sweeping look while he dusted his hands off. The guy was short, but the way he held himself led him to believe that there was strength hidden in that wiry frame. That, if this went badly, he would prove to be a threat.

The stranger looked him up and down in return, seemed to meticulously take in every detail from the clothes he wore, to the day's worth of scruff prickling on his chin. "Where you headed to?" 

That voice was deep. Deeper than he would have expected, yet somehow fitting the mold he had built in his own mind. Pleasant to listen to, even if it was laced with suspicion.

"East coast. Got a few stops to make before heading on back home." He replied, curiosity blooming where it shouldn't have. "You looking for directions?"

"More like a ride." Came the response. It was only a little condescending, like maybe Erwin should have guessed that on the first try. "I can't pay you, but I'll take care of myself. Or I can..."

His voice dropped off, the suggestion hanging in the air, like the bruise that was fading on his slender, pointed jaw. It almost made him wonder, how many times had this guy made that offer? It wasn't a wise decision.

Erwin considered. Not the unspoken offer, but giving him a ride. He wasn't the kind of guy to take advantage of someone down on their luck. Strange guy from a dusty little town. Didn't seem to have much to his name, but he was bold. Erwin could admire that. Couldn't hurt to get a little more information. 

"Where you heading?"

"Anywhere but here."

That was a strange answer. Left his tongue less than a second after the question, like it was well practiced. The blond quirked a thick eyebrow, contemplating the request. This wasn't the best of places to pick up strangers. Most drivers wouldn't even bite at the women around these parts, though Erwin had never been partial to that kind of thing. His tastes lay in a direction that were liable to get him fired, beaten, chased out of town, or worse. His tastes fell exactly in line with what was being offered, but he wouldn't- couldn't do something like that. 

The guy was waiting expectantly, one shoulder pressed against the heat of his truck while he crossed his arms in front of him. "Well?" He pressed while a thin brow crept high up his forehead.

He could easily say no. Could leave the guy behind and carry on without the distraction. But, his conscious decided to join in, what if there was a danger to him here? What if he was the only savior this guy might find from some unknown enemy? Or a town of enemies that wouldn't accept him for what he was.

"Uh... What did you say your name was again?" Not the line of questioning he had intended to go down, but it was a start. A point to see if the stranger would trust him enough with a tidbit of information. 

The man's lips curled up into a smirk, and when he cocked his head, it really showed off the bruising. It was worse than he had first thought, and Erwin knew before the guy even spoke that he was taking him with him. Maybe not to save him, but to help him save himself.

"I don't think I mentioned it." He pushed away from the grill of the truck, slick black hair, cut in an undercut, wafting in the breeze as he slipped around Erwin to haul himself up into the cab with a smug look on his face. "But you can call me Levi, if it's that important to you."

Like he had thought before, this Levi was bold. Off-putting, maybe. Probably not the best travel companion, but Erwin could drop him off the next stop, no questions asked.

"Alright, Levi. I guess you're coming for a ride." Erwin chuckled under his breath. There was a strange little man making himself at home in his passenger seat. This was something he had never done before. 

Erwin finished up at the pump, calling to let his new passenger know that he had to take a trip to the bathroom before rolling out. It gave him a chance to try and control his windsept hair. He would shave at the next stop, and clean up a little. 

"We're headed off to Texas. You want to stop there somewhere?" Erwin asked as he climbed back into his seat. "I'm Erwin, by the way." Levi didn't answer. He was using his bag as a pillow against the window, silver closed to the world, but the lines around his eyes never softened. It was like he was on edge, waiting for Erwin's hand to snake over into his personal space.

Instead, the engine roared to life beneath them. Beside him, as they pulled out into the quiet old road, he thought he saw the small body relax, the tension bleeding away with each rotation of the wheels over hot pavement. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a little company.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is a grumpy trouble maker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter references some past self-harm, just a heads up. I'm not exactly pleased with the writing/pacing of this chapter, but it's setting up for some future events, so- 
> 
> Critique/suggestions are always welcome. Even encouraged. I am but a lowly eruri, trying to do right by my faves.

Levi didn't talk much. In fact, he never seemed to talk at all. The radio, when he could find a clear signal, crackled with musical static to drown the all encompassing silence that hung awkward and heavy in the air between them. Occasionally he would hear chatter between other drivers. Warnings, directions, but nothing to spark his interest or stimulate the mind.

It wasn't as though Erwin hadn't tried to strike up a conversation with his passenger. In fact, it was a hurdle he was determined to overcome before Levi eventually took his leave. It hardly helped that, whenever he would take a glance to his right, all he was presented with was a curtain of ebony hair. Those captivating eyes were turned out over the scenery, watching dusty desert evolve into hills as the craggy peaks of the Rocky Mountains came into view.

From where he sat, it was fascinating. Though Levi rarely gave him his eye over the seemingly endless hours, the subtle shifts to his posture as the land changed, transformed before them with dramatic majesty, let him infer a great deal.

"Have you ever seen the mountains?" Erwin asked, taking a shot in the dark, though he had easily guessed that the answer was no. Not a range as impressive as this, stretched before him to fill the horizon with snow covered peaks.

The silence stretched, and just as he let out the breath he'd been holding, Levi turned his way. For all the well practiced control, Erwin could see the awe still glimmering in his sharp eyes, and it set pleasure into bloom in his own chest. Levi didn't strike him as the sort of man that had gotten much enjoyment from his life, and if he could help provide even a hint of it, maybe he had done something worthwhile with his own.

Levi took his time in answering, offering up a nonchalant shrug. "I've lived in southern California my entire life. I've seen mountains."

"But not like this?" The blond inquired, knowing baby blues meeting Levi's narrowing eyes. Mistrusting. Always so mistrusting of him.

"No. Not like this." Levi seemed bitter that he had even admitted as much, jaw set, fingers digging into the worn material of his backpack. "I've gotta take a piss. And shower. Find one of these godforsaken stops with a place to clean up."

And eat. Erwin's stomach was rumbling, and his eyes were starting to get a bit heavy. It would be best for them to find a place to rest for the night before moving on to the more treacherous territory of the mountain roads. "If I remember correctly, there's a stop in the next ten miles or so. We'll stay for the night, get some dinner, clean up. How's that sound?" He was starting to learn Levi's grunts. The promise of cleaning up easily won him over this time. For as downtrodden and poor as Erwin had suspected the other man was, Levi demanded cleanliness. One of the few quirks he had managed to piece together in this quiet puzzle of a man.

______

Fifteen agonizingly silent minutes later, the neon sign came into view. It was a small diner, hanging off of a full service truck stop, and seemed just the place to satisfy all of their needs. Levi was pulling the handle before they had even stopped, sliding down from the cab the moment the wheels come to a halt on the cracked pavement, and slipping off to the rest stop showers. Erwin followed after him, grabbing his own duffle bag. He knew Levi demanded privacy, but they were not the only truck on the lot, and dusty stale sweat was clinging to his skin. Levi's modesty would have to take the back seat that night.

Erwin's pace was more leisurely in comparison to his travel mate. His thoughts more distracted, wondering if he should soak some clothes in an attempt to wash away the last of the dust and leave the desert behind. 

Inside, Levi had found a secluded corner, trying to strip down hastily. His body looked tight, and just like the few times he had managed to peek before, his eyes were drawn to the thin scars. Pretended not to see the bruising that had all but faded by this point in their trip- wrists, hips, that one that had discolored his jaw for days.

Erwin never asked, but he pondered, suspected, and felt a boiling rage directed at an unknown being whenever Levi tensed at a movement in the cabin. He couldn't forget that initial offer he'd been given. And couldn't help but to think of some deviant that had taken advantage, but denied Levi the ride he would have been promised in return. 

The scars were an entirely different matter. He had only caught a glimpse of them once. The clean, thin lines dragged across pale skin, leaving pink patterns after the years they had to heal. Erwin imagined they felt rough to the touch, didn't know him well enough to dare to ask if he could find out. They had looked old though, years in the making. And though he had strained to see if fresh lines painted the skin, Levi had caught him staring, had thrown every curse in the book at him as he had shoved him away, closed him off with walls so thick he might never break through.

But Erwin was persistent, and days on the road had loosened up his companion, though his lips had remained tightly sealed until today.

There were other eyes on Levi in the showers. Subtle glances, the sort that would start brawls in a place like this, taking in his powefully delicate form. A strange jealousy started to fester, new and unusual. Uncomfortable. Erwin wondered, some nights, wrapped in his blankets while he nodded off into the calamity of his dreams, what it would be like to possess Levi. If he was as cold and distant with a lover, as he was with a stranger. His small body would tuck so perfectly into his own, bringing them both warmth and comfort. But Levi made no move to act on his offer, choosing to sleep, when he could, draped across the leather seats with one of Erwin's old jackets acting as a buffer against the cold desert air. And though it had been a very long time for him, never once did he overstep, or try to touch. Erwin simply wished he had never made the suggestion at all. Wished the errant thoughts had never been planted in his mind to plague him through the hours of silence.

"Do you need more shampoo?"

Levi started, whirling with a hiss, but snatched the little bottle up from where the tall blond had just secured the space next to him. "What the fuck kind of creep are you?"

Erwin beamed, flashing his bright smile. "You're welcome." And if he noticed Levi throw a look over his shoulder before visibly relaxing, he didn't say a word.

Because, if nothing else, Erwin was observant. He watched the way Levi scanned the room, rationed out his soap, his food, his small collection of clothes, like a man who had only known living without enough.

But Levi was also proud. His refusal to accept anything more than a cup of coffee from him, and the way he faced every challenge head on spoke volumes towards his pride.

Erwin would admire him for it if he weren't so damned unapproachable. 

"We'll stay here tonight. Fuel up in the morning before heading out." He carried on, all the while aware that the eyes had turned away. That he had succeeded in offering what protection he could, even if Levi's scowl indicated that he didn't exactly appreciate it. Or maybe he had, and Erwin had just delivered another blow to the smaller man's pride.

"Whatever." Levi bathed quickly, leaving Erwin his shampoo to dry and dress himself. To leave him alone to watch the grit run from his own body down the grimy drain and wonder if he had only imagined silver eyes examining him for a breath too long. 

______

It wasn't until later that Levi made another appearance. Erwin was seated in the diner, sipping at his coffee with a full stomach. His bill had been paid about an hour ago, but the refills were free, and the waitress was chatty. It was the sort of company he had been craving, and if he didn't take his fill now, there was no telling when he might hold another full conversation again.

Levi rarely joined him in any diner. He would survive on what he could afford from the gas station, and usually retreat to Erwin's truck until he returned. Though Erwin had offered many a time to buy him a real meal, Levi always declined. He was almost certain the man hadn't eaten anything substantial in days, given how thin he was.

So when that lithe frame fell in beside him at the bar, rested his hand on Erwin's thigh without preamble, he caught him by surprise. 

"Come back to the truck." Levi had his head cocked, brows raised, looking inviting, almost like he had that first day.

"Wha-"

"Don't ask stupid questions. Let's go." Levi purred, squeezed, hand lingering, then gliding further up, just before all of him disappeared out the door in a flurry. Back to the truck. Erwin could hear the passenger side door quietly click shut when he blindly followed. Heard it too loud in his ears over the sound of crickets in the evening air.

What?

There was some commotion about at the convenience store, but his head was too far gone to notice. He returned back to his truck, in a daze, wary and hopeful all at once when he saw Levi stretched across half of the seat. The dreamy look to his eye had gone. The way he stretched out wasn't welcoming, but a warning.

"Levi..."

"Shut the damn door." Levi hissed, coy teasing tongue replaced with fangs. "Drive, dumbass. Just fucking drive."

And that's when it clicked into place, dawned on him that something here was wrong.

"What did you-"

"Guilty by association, old man. Get us out of here."

The key turned. The engine roared to life. And instead of dumping Levi on the side of the road like he should have, like he had every right to, he pulled out of the truck stop, thanking God he had enough fuel to reach the next stop.

Erwin's jaw was locked in a deep frown when Levi felt safe enough to sit up again a few miles down the road. He was picking through an old wallet Erwin hadn't seen before, snatching the meager stash of cash and burning the license with a match before tossing the uselesa bundle out the window to lie on the roadside. 

"Cigarette?" Levi asked casually, raising that thin brow the way he did while they drove off into the waning sunlight. He looked smug, taking a long drag while he pushed up a sleeve to rub his thumb over the pale yellow bruise. 

"What the hell was that?" Erwin demanded, white knuckle grip on the steering wheel.

Levi shared a sardonic smirk, bitterness festering in eyes gone cold as steel, yet boiling with rage. "Guy owed me ride. Next fill up is on him."


End file.
